Into the Fire

Basic Judeo-Christian spirituality:

Then God said, "Let us make man in our image, in our likeness . . ." So God created man in his own image, in the image of God He created him; male and female He created them.  Genesis 1:26-27 (NIV)

But for Adam no suitable helper was found. So the Lord God caused the man to fall into a deep sleep; and while he was sleeping, he took one of the man's ribs and closed up the place with flesh. Then the Lord God made a woman from the rib he had taken out of the man, and He brought her to the man.

The man said, "This is now bone of my bones and flesh of my flesh; she shall be called 'woman' for she was taken out of man."

For this reason a man will leave his father and mother and be united to his wife, and they will become one flesh.  Genesis 2:20b-24 (NIV)

Basic biology and physiology characterizes the two sexes as a complement to one another. One is made with the apparatus which fits into the other's bodily apparatus and between the two of them in a physical act, when the proper conditions exist, can produce another of the same species.

Spiritually speaking, here is God's opinion of homosexuality:

Therefore God gave them over in the sinful desires of their hearts to sexual impurity for the degrading of their bodies with one another. They exchanged the truth of God for a lie, and worshiped and served created things rather than the Creator . . .

Because of this, God gave them over to shameful lusts. Even their women exchanged natural relations for unnatural ones. In the same way the men also abandoned natural relations with women and were inflamed with lust for one another. Men committed indecent acts with other men, and received in themselves the due penalty for their perversion.  Romans 1:24-27 (NIV)

Historically speaking, when powerful nations implode, there is always a moral element to the demise.

How is it that so many people can be "proud" of a relatively unknown professional basketball player declaring he prefers to experience sex with men? Why is that admittance so exciting to a portion of the population? Why is it that NFL Commissioner Roger Goodell says he speaks for the NFL in endorsing "gay" marriage? When has he visited locker rooms and polled the players on this subject to arrive at this conclusion?

Some have said this athlete's announcement proves that "real men" can be gay. What it proves is that men (and women) can lust after one another in unnatural sexual relationships and label it love as they know it and make it marriage-worthy.

Most of us aren't very good at real love. We're selfish, often one-sided, and we tend to have contrived notions of the demands of truly loving someone more than oneself. We attempt to do it right, we grow in our efforts, and by the time we're committed to each other, we'd no doubt lay down our lives to save our mates.

Two men or two women can love each other, but their sexual relationships aren't "normal". They're not designed that way. Whether it's foul hormones or haywire psyches, homosexuality isn't how humans are supposed to be.

I'm not attacking homosexual individuals. I can't imagine only desiring the same sex. I. Can't. The sexual component is huge and powerful and often won't be denied. I assume there is no more promiscuity in the gay community than there is in the heterosexual community. Neither of which is acceptable to God. In this world sin has its way for a time. We can choose to fight it or we can give ourselves over to it, but regardless of how we want to define it – or do not wish to – it exists and God defined it first. Some would have us think there is no God and therefore not really much "sin", preferably designated "behavioral issues".

Christians are often labeled "bible thumpers". Well, the "gay thumpers" use a louder horn and have the media's favor. I, for one, am weary of their agenda, their "pride", and their self-righteousness. As much as we all might fight for justification of our particular sins, there is none.

Father, please help all of us to follow you. To take up our crosses and put to death our fleshly desires to find and to serve you. In the Name of Jesus, Amen.